Transcript Chapter 18 Notes - Home

Chapter 18 Notes
The Enlightenment and the
American Revolution
Section 1
Philosophy in the Age of
Reason
Two Views of the Social Contract
Thomas Hobbes
– Wrote Leviathon
Argued that people were naturally cruel, greedy, and selfish.
If not controlled strictly, they would fight, rob, and oppress
one another.
Life in the “state of nature” – without laws or other control –
would be “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”
– To escape this, people entered a social contract –
Absolute monarchy was the key
Two Views of the Social Contract
John Locke
– People were basically reasonable and moral; they
had natural rights –
Life, liberty, and property (unalienable rights)
– Two Treatises of Government
Argued that the best kind of government had limited power
and was accepted by all citizens
Rejected an absolute monarchy
– Government has an obligation to the people it
governs
If the government fails its obligations, the people have a right
to overthrow that government
This idea of revolution would spread throughout Europe
Separation of Powers
Baron de Montesquieu
– The Spirit of the Laws
Studied many different governments throughout
history and felt that the British did a good job by
dividing powers among several branches:
legislative, judicial, executive (He was wrong by
the way)
Still felt that separation of powers was the best
way to protect liberty
Came up with checks and balances
New Economic Thinking
Adam Smith
– The Wealth of Nations
Argued that the free market should be allowed to
regulate business activity
Tried to explain that everything was linked to
supply and demand
Supported laissez faire -
Section 3
Britain at Mid-Century
Rise to Global Power
Geography
– In the 1500s and 1600s set
up colonies and
settlements in the West
Indies, North America, and
India
Success in War
– Won many of its land rights
in wars with powerful navy
Nova Scotia,
Newfoundland, Canada,
and the East India Co.
from France
Monopolized the slave
trade in Spanish America
Rise to Global Power
A Favorable Business Climate
– Britain placed fewer restrictions on trade than its European
competitors
– Some nobles engaged in trade while most of Europe’s nobles
looked down on trade
Union with Scotland
– 1707: Act of Union
Brought Scotland into United Kingdom of Great Britain (included
Wales)
Brought new economic advantage to both countries (free trade)
Ireland
– Always in bitter conflict even today
– Sent English Protestants to Catholic Ireland giving them land
titles belonging to Irish Catholics
Growth of Constitutional Government - Included Magna Carta, Bill of Rights, unwritten
traditions
Political Parties
– Tories
Generally landed aristocrats who sought to preserve older
traditions such as broad royal powers and dominant Anglican
Church
– Whigs
Backed policies of the Glorious Revolution
Urban business interests, support religious toleration, favor
Parliament over the crown
– Both represented exclusive social circles among rich,
powerful men in Parliament. Is this similar to our
political parties?
Growth of Constitutional Government
The Cabinet System
– Came to be from German speaking princes (George I
and II) who relied on Parliament for policy advice
– Called a cabinet because they met in a small room,
or “cabinet”
– Made up of leaders of a majority party in the House of
Commons
– Stayed in power as long as it was supported by the
Commons
The Prime Minister –
– Head of the cabinet
– Robert Walpole is considered Britain’s first prime
minister; made the cabinet a unified body
Politics and Society
Britain was not democratic but an oligarchy– Landowning aristocrats were seen as “natural” ruling class
– Highest nobles had seats in House of Lords
– Other wealthy landowners controlled elections to Commons
Right to vote was limited to few male property owners
who bought votes
Society
– Majority of people were poor farmers who eventually lost lands
to wealthy landowners
– Were forced into harsh life in towns
– Small middle class of merchants and manufacturers who could
raise status by marriage
George III Reasserts Royal Power
(1760-1820)
- Wanted to end Whig dominance,
choose own ministers, dissolve the
cabinet, and force Parliament to do his
will
Personal Rule
– Decided colonists in North America
must pay costs of own defense along
with other harsh measures
– 1775: led to protest and eventually
revolution (Britain would lose of
course)
Cabinet Rule Restored
– After loss of American Colonies,
cabinet rule was restored in 1788
– During long wars with France, cabinet
controlled the government
– Prime Minister became real political
leader.
Section 4
Birth of the American Republic
Growing Discontent
-
-
With the taxing from King George
growing, colonists protested what
they felt was an attack on their
rights. “No taxation without
representation”
Parliament did repeal some taxes
but kept right to impose taxes on
colonies.
Early Clashes
– 1770: Boston Massacre
5 died while protesting taxes among
group of British soldiers
– 1773: Boston Tea Party
Dumped cargo of tea into Boston
harbor in response to tea tax
– Continental Congress – John
Adams, Washington, others met to
decide what action to take
Growing Discontent
Declaration Independence
– Set up Continental Army; George
Washington was in command
Britain won many battles but the Patriots
showed their determination to fight at any
cost
– 1776: 2nd Continental Congress
Voted to declare independence
Thomas Jefferson was main author of
Declaration of Independence, based on
the ideas of John Locke
– Declaration of Independence claimed that
people had the right to alter or abolish
unjust governments – a right to revolt
– Emphasized principle of popular
sovereignty –
Carefully listed all colonists’ grievances
against Britain
– July 4, 1776 – American leaders
adopted Declaration of Independence
The American Revolution
Problems for Colonists
– Britain had professional soldiers, huge fleet, money;
controlled most major cities
– 1/3 of colonists were Loyalists –
– Continental Congress had few military resources, little
money
Advantages
– fighting on own soil, controlled countryside
Disadvantages
– created alliances within colonies
– Had help of Indians
– Offered freedom to any enslaved people willing to fight
colonists
The American Revolution
The French Alliance
– 1777 – victory at Saratoga
persuaded French to join
Americans against rival Britain
– Brought supplies, trained
soldiers, warships
– Netherlands and Spain helped
too
Treaty of Paris
– 1781 – Cornwallis surrenders to
Washington at Yorktown,
Virginia
– Two years later, American,
British, and French diplomats
signed the Treaty of Paris -
A New Constitution
-
1787 – met in secret to create new Constitution of the United
States
Articles of Confederation too weak
The Impact of Enlightened Ideas
– used ideas of Locke, Montesquieu, and Rousseau
Included elective legislature and elected a president instead of a hereditary
monarch
George Washington elected as first president
– Constitution created a federal republic –
Central feature was separation of powers and checks and balances
– Bill of Rights
1st 10 amendments
Recognized the idea that people had basic rights (free speech, religion,
press, trial by jury, private property) that the government must protect
Limited Freedom
– 1789 – Constitution became supreme law of the land
– Even though an elected government was in place many people couldn’t
vote
White men could only meet property requirements